The preparation of conventional, ready-to-use type swabs or applicators generally involves the use of an absorbent cotton or similar material and in which the material is either wrapped in spiral or transverse fashion around one or both ends of the stick, or is otherwise adhesively attached. All such swabs or applicators are easily unwound and subject to distortion of shape; moreover, the very simplicity and economy of construction of conventional swabs render them inapplicable to more sophisticated uses or uses in sensitive body areas. In addition, such cotton or other material-type swabs are not compressible in use and thus have little of the cushioning effect necessary for delicate applications when pressure may be applied thereto. In view of the fact that such swabs are commonly applied to the skin of human beings, it becomes imperative that the pressure applied to the stick is not transmitted to the skin in an excessive manner, particularly when delicate surfaces of the human anatomy are contacted.
Furthermore, and especially significant in this use, the convexity of conventional swabs precludes adequate application to a complex three-dimensional anatomic structure such as the eyelid margin.
One of the more delicate areas of the human body resides in the area of the eyes. In the eyelids, which are in direct apposition to the globe, are found the meibomian glands, eyelashes and other structures, all of which may be involved in chronic or acute inflammation, either as a result of meibomian gland dysfunction, or secondary to an infection.
While the specific medical treatment of each of these maladies exceeds the explanatory provisions relevant to a description of this invention, it may suffice to state that the entire lid margin of the eye, both anteriorly and posteriorly including the meibomian orifices and eyelashes, must be treated to assure the removal of the sources of the inflammatory process. This may be discharged material at the meibomian orifice, fibrin or cellular debris at the base of the lashes, or bacteria at the lid margin. Further, the cleansing action must be simultaneously delicate so as to avoid aggravation to the preexisting affected area.
Although numerous forms of treatment are devised for inflammation of the eyelid, the more effective of them include the most delicate and uncomplicated procedures. Therefore, hot compresses and lid scrubs with a mild shampoo, along with appropriate local antibiotics applied several times per day, depending upon the severity, are common. The hot compresses are prepared by holding a clean face cloth under the hot water faucet and allowing it to reach a temperature which will effectively heat the eyelids without burning the skin. This dilates the surrounding blood vessels and heats the liquid meibomian secretions, which plug the gland involved. Heating liquifies the stagnate secretions, thereby facilitating drainage through the gland orifice. Frequently, however, cellular and sebaceous debris builds up along either the anterior or posterior lid margin and adjacent lashes. It has been shown that a mechanical action to remove the debris from the affected is an effective treatment for this condition. In such a case it is necessary to initiate direct contact with the lid margin to accomplish cleansing thereof. In that event, the special swab of the invention becomes a necessity, and, due to the construction and configuration thereof, there is provided a marked improvement over presently known swabs in the ability to efficiently cleanse the eyelid margin. The three-dimensional configuration, as well as flexible material used, assures adequate treatment of all affected areas and structures of the lid margin.
In a further feature of the present invention, an appropriate antibiotic ointment or other medicant is used internally of the swab. The medicant is injected into the swab itself prior to use, and typically, in a prepackaged embodiment the medicant may be applied upon direct contact of the swab to the anterior and exterior surfaces of the eyelid margin. This occurs upon application of pressure to the swab to thereby expel the medicant to the swab surface. In this manner there is avoided any smearing of the medicant itself while simultaneously providing an equal distribution of the medicant over the affected areas by merely lightly contacting them with the operative surface of the swab.
These and numerous other features and advantages of the present invention will become obvious upon a careful reading of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings, wherein like numerals denote like parts in the several views and wherein: